Vulnerable
by aleace
Summary: After suffering a brutal attack, Jack is left alone, bleading and cold. Even worse is that no one, including himself, knows where he is.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Vulnerable  
**Summary**: After suffering a brutal attack, Jack is left alone in a dark alley.  
**Warnings**: language, mentions of violence 

**Author's Note:** I'm not sure if the first chapter is confusing or not, because no one else has read it besides me. I thought I would let everyone know that I intentionally wrote what was happening very vague because Jack is so disoriented. You'll find out more of what happened as the story goes on. Sorry the first chapter is a little short! Oh, yeah, and **_Jack is 18 in this story_**.

**Disclaimer: **UnfortunatleyI don't own Four Brothers, except for the DVD : D

**Vulnerable**

Jack slid down to the filthy ground, no longer able to hold himself up. Feelings of complete degradation and humiliation rose thickly in his stomach, partially exiting his body in a pile of vomit that stained the concrete to his side. He rested his back against the cool brick of an abandoned building and pulled his knees close to his chest, wanting to disappear.

A somewhat familiar feeling of emptiness filled his body as all the pain he had held in during his attack fell from his eyes in steady streams of tears. He wanted to scream, to yell and run until he couldn't do it anymore, but his physical state was preventing him from doing much of anything more than sitting and crying.

Every breath caused an excruciatingly sharp pain in his chest. His head was pounding from multiple blows to the head and he could barely see out of his swollen right eye. His arms and thighs were badly bruised from the forceful restraints placed on him, and his face still stung from where he ripped off the duck tape from his mouth.

To say the least, he was in pretty bad shape.

He looked around, taking in his surroundings for what seemed like the first time. The back alleyway in which he sat was dimly lit, making it hard to accurately make out the shadows that moved around in the darkness. Failing to find any symbols to let him know where he was, Jack closed his eyes in defeat.

No one would ever find him in here.

"Fuck," he softly muttered aloud. This wasn't good. In fact, he couldn't think of anything that could make this situation even worse.

He gently maneuvered his hands through his jean pockets, but found nothing. They had taken his wallet too, but now that he thought about it, his wallet wouldn't have done much good. Even if he did have money for a pay phone, there was no way he would be able to get off the ground to go look for one.

He was officially fucked.

Shivering as the cold of the night seemed to settle in his bones, he pulled his torn sweatshirt tightly around his body and noticed how bloody it was.

There was no way all of that could be his...

Jack tried to focus on the cause of the loss of blood, but it was becoming harder and harder to focus. The pounding in his head increase and he blinked his eyes rapidly in an attempt to clear his blurring vision that marked his slip into unconsciousness.

_He could hear the footsteps behind him, but refused to turn around. He couldn't show them the fear that unmistakably flashed behind his bright blue eyes. _

_The steps behind him quickened and he felt two pairs of hands grab him, one set immediately slamming a piece of duck tape over his mouth, the other painfully tying his hands behind his back._

Jack's eyes flew open abruptly, the bleeding from his hidden wound worsening with each passing moment.

"Oh God..." he whispered. "I'm going to die here..."

* * *

**And that's the end of Chapter One! I hope you all enjoyed it, and PRETTY PLEASE leave me a review if you read it. They are seriously a tremendous motivator to continue writing!**

**: D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary**: After suffering a brutal attack, Jack is left alone in a dark alley.  
**Warnings**: language, mentions of violence  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything!

**Author's** **Note**: WOW! I can't believe the response I got! A HUGE thank you to everyone who took a quick minute to leave a review!!

And because you took the time to review, I should take the time to give everyone a personal thanks:  
**Jesse** **Halliwell**: ;D Hehe, I can't get him help too quick...  
**fallen** **angel**: Here's your update!  
**jigsaws231**: I'm glad it wasn't confusing. This chapters a little longer for ya.  
**pwrhungryjr**: Here's your update!  
**Shanobi**: Thanks for the offer to read over my chapters before I post them! I'm kind of new to this whole thing so I'm not sure how everything works, but if you're still interested in the job then let me know!  
**iaotigers**: I'm glad you liked it! Here's your update!  
**Sparks** **Diamond**: I'm happy you like the first chapter! Here's your update  
**Pen** **Liddin**: It wasn't exactly a.s.a.p. but I got this chapter up as soon as I could ;D  
**Joralie**: Here's your update!  
**tennischik09**: Of course I won't leave you hanging... for too long anyways... ;D  
**Capt**.**Cow**: Haha, patience grasshopper ;D Don't worry, you will find out what happened to Jack... sooner or later...  
**blazingfire03**: I'm glad you liked the chapter! The others will get to him soon... hopefully ;D  
**dragonally**: Who's gonna save Jack, you ask? I'm not quite sure myself yet, lol.  
**Hannieee**: Lol, I'm glad you love these things! Here's an update for you!  
**itsalltoofamiliar**: I'm glad you like it!  
**irocksocks**: I got this chapter up as soon as I could!

**Vulnerable**

**Chapter Two**

Bobby sat anxiously at the kitchen table, his leg lightly bouncing up and down out of nervous habit. It was almost three-thirty in the morning and Jack still wasn't home. He had already called every one of Jack's friends that he knew of, going as far as jumping in his car and searching the town through and through.

He was literally no where to be found.

Jerry entered the kitchen, bags already forming under his eyes from the lack of sleep.

"Any word yet?" he asked, fatigue thick in his voice.

Bobby didn't even look up at him.

"No." Sighing, he ran his fingers through his hair. As much as he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible had happened. _He couldn't have just disappeared._

When Jack left, he said he needed to go for a walk to clear his head. Bobby could tell something had been bothering him for the last couple of days, but didn't want to pry it out of his little brother. Jack normally came to him when he was ready.

Looking back on it now, maybe he should have pried. What if Jack owed some people money and he was now lying in a dumpster with a bullet in his head? If he had known what was up before hand, maybe he could have stopped all this from happening...

Jerry rubbed his hands over his tired eyes, briefly pinching the bridge of his nose before returning his attention back to his brother.

"Bobby."

"What?" he snapped in a hostile tone.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Blaming yourself. We don't even know what happened. Jack could just be somewhere blowing off steam."

Bobby finally looked up at him. "If Jack wanted to blow off steam he'd light up a cigarette and play his guitar, not disappear for hours." He put his elbows on the table, resting his head in his hands.

"How's Ma?"

Jerry shook his head slightly. "She's worried sick. I finally convinced her to go to bed about a half-hour ago."

Bobby suddenly stood. "Let's go. I can't sit here and do nothing anymore."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea Bobby..."

"If you want to sit on your ass and do nothing while Jack could be out there dying then be my mother fucking guest!" He grabbed his coat and keys that were strewn on the counter.

Jerry let out a deep breath. "Ok. I'll come with you."

Without another word they were out the door, on there way to search for any clue they could find.

**&&&**

Jack shivered violently against the cold, his body moving involuntarily and causing every jerk to become more and more painful. He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting there, but he was starting to give up hope that his brothers would somehow, miraculously find him.The bleeding from his hidden wound was getting worse, and his clouded mind kept jumping from thought to thought as if it was short-circuited somehow.

_I've got to get out of here._

_Man, the stars are bright._

_Ma's probably worried._

"_The more you struggle, the more it will hurt," the Nameless Man whispered sickly in his ear as he placed his pointer finger lightly against Jack's lips._

_Jack said nothing._

_Looking back at him with satisfaction shining in his eyes, The Nameless Man smiled. "Put him in the van," he ordered his collaborator. "And make sure he can't get loose."_

_I wish it wasn't so cold._

_Maybe it'll start snowing soon._

_Too bad they took my wallet too._

_I wonder how long it takes to bleed to death._

Jack fought desperately to keep his eyes open. He remembered hearing somewhere that you're supposed to stay awake if you have a head wound. Needless to say he was failing miserably. The longer he sat on the cold concrete, the more the pain intensified, and the more he wanted to close his eyes in an attempt to escape it all.

_Fuck, I'm bleeding really bad._

_I think some of my ribs are broken._

_Where am I?_

_Why am I sitting outside?_

_I wish Bobby was here._

**&&&**

Bobby drove carefully down the dark streets of Detroit for the second time that night. He _had _to find Jack before it was too late.

"Maybe we should go home and call the police," Jerry suggested, becoming discouraged by Jack's still missing status after almost an hour of searching for him.

Bobby looked at him with slight disbelief. "We're not giving up on him."

"I don't mean give up on him. I just think it would be better to look for him when it's light outside."

Turning the steering wheel sharply, Bobby swerved over to the side of the door, stopping the car with a jolt.

"Get out."

Jerry looked at his older brother, confusion in his eyes. "Wha—"

"If you don't want to look for Jack then get out. You can walk home for all I care." There was an anger in his eyes that could send chills down the spine of even the toughest gang bangers in Detroit.

Jerry looked out the window, as if seriously contemplating if he should step out of the car and make the commute across town on foot.

"Bobby..."

"What!" He followed Jerry's suddenly wide eyes to a dark spot on the sidewalk.

"You don't think that's Jack's blood..." Jerry began, but Bobby was already out of the car, looking down at the pool of blood that seemed to taunt him.

"It goes that way," he said to Jerry who was now out of the car and standing beside him. The path made by other splatters of blood led to a dark alley way behind an abandoned building.

"Stay here," Bobby told Jerry before he turned to follow the crimson trail.

**&&&**

Coming to his senses for a moment, Jack began to hear footsteps coming in his direction. A sense of relief started to wash over him.

"Thank God," he managed to whisper in a harsh voice. Even the simplest tasks were becoming a challenge.

The figure the footsteps belonged to finally made themselves visible at the end of the alley and slowly made their way closer to Jack's slumped over form.

_When did Bobby's hair get so long?_

_I don't remember him being that short._

_Why is he walking so slow?_

_Damn, I wish he'd hurry up._

The footsteps finally stopped and Jack looked up at the disgruntled man standing before him.

His heart sank.

It wasn't Bobby.

**

* * *

Author's Note:** And that's the end of chapter two! Hopefully you all enjoyed it. **And don't forget to leave a quick review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary**: After suffering a brutal attack, Jack is left alone in a dark alley.  
**Warnings**: language  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything! 

**Author's Note: **WOW! Once again I can't believe the response I've gotten! I'm a little short on time, so I can't leave everyone a personal message, but a HUGE thank you to everyone who left a review!! And an especially big thanks to **Shanobi** for making sure I didn't make any dumb mistakes! ;)

**Vulnerable**

**Chapter Three**

The shady figure hovering over Jack turned and motioned to another man, who emerged from the shadows and began his way toward them.

"Hey look, the piece of shit is still here."

Jack recognized the face, recognized the nauseating voice. It was the Nameless Man, and as the other figure stepped from the shadows he recognized his face, too. He was the quieter one of the two, more like the Nameless Man's personal sidekick, but he was equally terrifying.

A new wave of fear and dread washed over Jack, rising from the pit of his stomach and spreading through his body like poison. He did his best to scoot away from the men that were now towering over him, but his body wasn't working right and he only managed to move to the left a few inches. The two men laughed at his efforts, and all the hate Jack already had for them rose to a new high.

"Well ain't that something."

"He was waiting for us to come back for seconds," the Nameless man responded as he crouched down, placing two fingers under Jack's chin and raising his head so Jack would look him in the eye. "Ain't that right, pretty?"

Jack shut his eyes tightly, knowing that if he looked into the Nameless Man's fiery eyes any longer he'd vomit. He swallowed thickly, trying to find his voice, but then realizing he had nothing to say.

_I need to get out of here. _

_Where the fuck is Bobby? _

_Is _anyone _going to save me? _

The Nameless Man straitened to his full height once again. "It looks like our little toy here has gone mute."

Both men began to laugh at the lame joke, sending chills down Jack's spine.

A few tears escaped from his tightly closed eyes. "Help me... please..." he managed to barely whisper, but his small voice was drowned out from their cackling. He was quickly beginning to lose the little hope he had left.

**&&& **

Bobby returned to the car, slowly opening the door and sitting inside.

The blood wasn't Jack's.

He wasn't sure whether he should feel relief that it hadn't been his brother's blood splattered all over the sidewalk, or worry and frustration that Jack was still missing.

"Bobby?" Jerry asked softly, cutting into his brother's thoughts.

Bobby didn't answer him for a long time. He was too exhausted, too overwhelmed.

"It wasn't him."

Jerry let out a long sigh. "Thank God." Then, realizing that the trail had to lead to somewhere, or someone, he looked at Bobby again. "Who was it?"

Bobby just shook his head. "It wasn't him," he repeated again, more to assure himself than anything. With shaking hands, he fumbled with the keys until he found the right one to start the car. He felt like he was trapped in a nightmare, one where no matter how hard you try to wake up, you can't, and your worst fears keep playing over and over again in your mind.

"Maybe we should call it a night, Bobby," Jerry suggested, hoping his older brother would take it better than the last time he recommended that they go home. He saw Bobby's hands shaking, and it was starting to scare him slightly knowing just how wound up he was becoming. Now matter what, Bobby _always _kept his composure, making sure that no one ever saw his tough exterior falter.

Bobby rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. He felt as if he had aged ten years in the past few hours. The unknown whereabouts of Jack was almost more than he could handle.

"Yeah," he said after another long, tense pause. "Maybe we should call it a night."

The drive home was eerily silent, and seemed to last hours. The empty, abandoned streets and buildings seemed to reflect the empty sadness in their hearts. Each was lost on what to do, what to think, and what to even _say_ to each other.

"We're gonna find him," Bobby said suddenly as he turned the car off after parking in the street in front of their house.

Jerry nodded but said nothing, letting the silence fall back between them. It was almost like a cushion. If neither of them spoke, then they could pretend longer that everything would be okay.

Once inside the safety and familiarity of their home, Jerry quickly headed up to bed and Bobby opted to stay down in the kitchen. He was exhausted, but there was no way he would be able to fall asleep, not with the knowledge that his baby brother was missing and nowhere to be found.

After a few hours of sitting in the silence of the room, his thoughts began to switch from worrying if Jack was still alive to if it hurt when he was killed, but he quickly stopped himself. It had only been one night.

There was still a ray of hope that they'd find Jack before it was too late.

**&&& **

As the two men looked down at his pitiful form deciding what to do with him next, Jack wondered how anyone could be so cruel and heartless. He didn't even know these guys, and they sure as hell didn't know him.

_So why'd they have to pick me? _

"Get up," one of the men ordered. Jack's vision was starting to get blurry and dark around the edges, making him unsure of which one was talking to him.

Unable to do as he was told, Jack continued to limply slouch against the wall behind him that was currently serving as his entire support system.

"Are you fucking deaf now too? I said get up."

When Jack once again sat still, a pair of large, angry hands latched onto his shirt, pulling him up in one effortless motion. Jack began to scream out in pain, a deep, blood curdling scream, but one of the angry hands quickly covered his mouth, muffling his desperate cries.

"Shut up you little bitch."

Pain, hate, rage, and paralyzing fear all overwhelmed his body at once as the obscurity around the outside of his vision began to close in on him.

The pain was unbearable.

"Please God, just let me die..." he begged before succumbing to the darkness.

"Just let me die."

**&&& **

Glancing at the clock, Bobby found that it was already 7 in the morning. Realizing that Ma would be up soon, he decided he better pull himself together so he could be strong for her. She already had enough to worry about without adding him to the list.

Slowly making his way upstairs, Bobby walked into the bathroom, making sure to lock the door behind him. Looking in the mirror he saw how terrible he really looked.

"No wonder Jerry looked so freaked in the car," he mumbled aloud.

Turning on the faucet, he splashed cold water on his face to wake himself up a little, hoping it would somehow help his outer appearance. His mind wasn't ready to rest, but he knew his body desperately needed it after such an emotional night. He had already made a mental note to begin calling all the local hospitals and police stations to see if they'd brought in anyone matching Jack's description.

Pausing for a moment, he closed his eyes and whispered quietly, "Don't give up, Jackie. Please... don't give up."

&&&

When Jack opened his eyes again, he found himself in the same, dark van he had been thrown in before. They were taking him somewhere, probably some abandoned town where they could dump his dead body and know it would never be found.

Both men were sitting in the front seat, listening to the radio at an obnoxiously loud level. Clenching his teeth against the pain in an attempt to make as little noise as possible, Jack changed into a position that allowed him to see out the window. Relieved to find there were plenty of buildings and people around, Jack slouched back down in the seat. Neither of his kidnappers noticed he was awake, and Jack thought it'd be best to keep it that way. Closing his eyes once again and seemingly playing dead, he began to think of a plan.

He needed to get out of here and it was now or never.

He could open the door and jump out... there was enough people around to notice and come help. Lucky for him, the two men were dumb enough to leave him untied, thinking there was no way he could escape considering he was in such bad condition.

Seeing no other way out, Jack decided it was his only chance. After all, the van was a piece of shit and could probably only go about 45mph tops on a good day.

He took a deep breath, said a silent prayer, opened the door and jumped, landing on the concrete road with a loud thud and rolling several feet before coming to a complete stop. The van swerved slightly, but didn't stop, conveniently speeding away. Other vehicles dodged his body, and it was probably a miracle he didn't get hit.

People were rushing over to him now. A few were checking to see if he was even still alive while others were frantically dialing 911.

_I made it, _he thought, now glad God hadn't taken his life when he had begged him to.

Memories of his family began to float through his mind. Like the time he brought home his first A on a report card and Ma had been so proud of him that she actually picked him up in a gigantic hug and spun him around. And like the time when Bobby bought him his first guitar to make up for accidentally breaking his nose in a hockey game.

_Maybe this is what they mean when they say you're life flashes before your eyes..._

No, he couldn't die now. He had too much to live for.

**

* * *

That's the end of Chapter Three! Don't forget to let me know what you thoutght in a review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary**: After suffering a brutal attack, Jack is left alone in a dark alley.  
**Warnings**: language, maybe some mentions of violence  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything!  
**Author's** **Note**: I know, I know, it's been way too long since I've updated. I went on vacation right after I posted the last chapter and when I got back I had a complete block on what to write. If it's any comfort, I've got part of the next chapter written, so hopefully the next update won't be so long away :)

For all of those who reviewed I want to say that I'm EXTREMELY appreciative of every last one of them. They REALLY helped me keep writing when I was about to just say 'forget it'.

An especially big thanks to **Shanobi** for helping me out! ; )

**Vulnerable**

**Chapter Four**

Bobby walked stiffly in the bitter cold, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. Everyone else was already seated, and they were all probably waiting on him before they started the funeral service. Still, Bobby couldn't bring his feet to move any faster. He could feel everyone staring at him, their sympathetic eyes making him nauseous.

Swallowing thickly, he sat down on the cold metal chair beside his mother.

The service began shortly after, but Bobby wasn't paying much attention to any of it, lost in his own thoughts. It wasn't until Jerry began to make his way up to the small podium, unfolding a small piece of paper from his pocket as he went, that he really snapped out of his trance.

Jerry looked down at his paper and cleared his throat. "When Jack first came to live with us, I remember I was mad, 'cause I already thought the three of us – me, Bobby, and Angel – was more than enough to fill the house." He smiled sadly. "But from the second Jack showed up at our door with no more than the clothes on his back, he immediately became part of the family."

"He was quiet and kept a lot to himself – listened more than talked, always curious about things. I remember he would sit on the front steps and just look up at the passing clouds for hours, like he saw something up there that no one else could see. And how even the simplest things like getting to pick the radio station in the car used to make him happy for days."

"Jack was only eighteen years old, you know? He was still figuring things out, trying to find his way... His death came too soon... for all of us... It wasn't his time." Each word was becoming harder and harder for him to say. "I think we all know who is to blame for that." Jerry's eyes turned cold and settled on Bobby's, burning right through him. "This is all your fault, Bobby. You should have stopped him from leaving... should have swallowed you macho façade and asked him what was bothering him instead of calling him a fairy." Jerry shook his head, his eyes still accusing. "I hope you're happy."

Bobby felt the blood rush to his cheeks, his chest beginning to feel heavy. He could literally feel everyone turning against him; he was a monster in their eyes – not that he could blame them.

Jerry was right. This was all his fault.

If only he'd asked Jack what was bothering him that night. If only he'd stopped him from leaving. If only he found him before it was too late...

Jack shouldn't be the one in that coffin, if should be _him_.

Grief and guilt began to wash over him in drowning amounts. He couldn't breathe, could no longer come up for air, pulled under by waves of overwhelming emotion. He couldn't take this, couldn't bear the shame for all the things he _should have _done but didn't.

"Bobby?" Jerry said as he lightly shook his brother's shoulders. "Bobby, wake up, man."

Suddenly jolting awake, Bobby looked up at his brother with wild eyes, haunting images of going to Jack's funeral forever burned deep in his eyes. Looking around he saw that he was still in Jack's hospital room, and Jack was still lying unconscious in the bed a few feet from him.

"You okay?" Jerry asked, concern thick in his voice.

Bobby let out a sigh of relief and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Yeah... just a bad dream."

"You sure?" he confirmed, not completely convinced. Bobby merely nodded and gave him a look that said 'drop it'. Too tired to argue, Jerry continued, "I'm going to take Ma home, maybe catch a few hours of sleep."

Bobby nodded again. "What time is it?"

"Almost one in the morning."

"I've been out that long?" The last thing he remembered was a nurse coming in to check on Jack around seven.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

Jerry scoffed. "Because I'm a good brother, that's why. Besides, you look like crap." He paused for a moment. "Maybe you should come with us... get some sleep and clean yourself up a little."

"I'm not going anywhere," Bobby said stubbornly, not willing to leave his brother's side.

"It's not a bad idea, Bobby," Evelyn added, hoping to convince him to come home with them. "The nurses will us a call if something happens while we're gone – it'll only be for a few hours, Bobby."

Still not convinced, Bobby stood his ground, once again refusing to leave.

Jerry just shook his head. "We'll be back in the morning."

"Bye sweetie," Evelyn said, squeezing his hand and kissing his forehead before following Jerry out of the room.

Bobby let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his unwashed hair. He studied Jack, looking for change in his condition no matter how small it was – a slight rose color in his pale cheeks or lips, the fading of a few bruises or cuts.

To say the least, Jack was in pretty bad shape. Cracked ribs had caused scarring on his lungs, and a ventilator had to breathe for him. Dark, angry bruises and cuts cover almost every inch of his body, the beating even severe enough to bruise several internal organs. There was a pretty big possibility of brain damage... and that was just the physical trauma.

The emotional damage would probably be even worse.

Bobby would never forget the moment he'd gotten the call from the hospital. His heart jumped into his throat – he thought they were going to say his brother was dead. But the second they'd said Jack was alive a huge weight was lifted off of his shoulders and nothing else mattered – not the fact that he was in critical condition, not the fact that he was in a coma, _nothing. _Jack was **alive. **That was all he needed to hear.

It wasn't until he finally saw for the first time how beaten up Jack was that he finally began to grasp just how little "life" was actually left in his little brother. Yeah, he was alive, but he was _barely _holding on

Exactly what had happened to Jack while he was missing to land him in such bad shape was still a mystery to them. All they knew was that witnesses saw him jump from a moving van and called 911.

What they also didn't know was that what Jack had gone through during the hours he was missing was far worse than anything _any _of them could have imagined.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading and don't forget to review : )**


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary:** After suffering a brutal attack, Jack is left alone in a dark alley.  
**Warnings:** Nothing really in this chapter... _maybe_ some language  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything!  
**Author's Note:** A quicker update than last time! Lol, still not exactly speedy, but I'm getting better :-) Thanks to all those who have stuck with me!

**Hugs** and **kisses** to my reviewers and Shan for helping me out!

**Vulnerable**

**Chapter Five **

"Jackie?" Bobby said upon seeing Jack's fingers move slightly, his voice full of uncertainty. It was probably nothing, just a twitch in his finger that was so small he wasn't even sure if it was real or something he'd imagined. When there was no response he rubbed his eyes tiredly, figuring it must have been the latter.

He stared at his little brother, willing his fingers to move again, and when they actually did, Bobby practically jumped out of his skin. "Did you see that Ma?" he asked excitedly. "I think Jack just moved his hand."

Evelyn put down the book she was reading, a hopeful, yet slightly skeptical, smile spreading across her lips. "He did?"

Bobby walked over to the bed and lightly touched Jack's cool fingers. "Jack, can you hear me? Open your eyes."

The only answer he got was the soft hum of the ventilator and the steady beep of the heart monitor.

Sighing, Bobby sat back down in his chair, defeat visibly etched in all his features.

Evelyn's smile faltered a bit, but she tried to keep her voice optimistic. "We just need to give it time, Bobby. He'll open his eyes when he's ready."

The doctors had told them that it could be months before Jack opened his eyes if he even did at all, and they should prepare themselves for the possibility that he might not ever wake up. Bobby just blocked out their words, not wanting to hear it, not wanting to believe it. _"They don't know what they're talking about, Ma. Jack's gonna be fine."_

Evelyn, on the other hand, wasn't so sure.

Seeing Bobby's frown, Evelyn stood. "How about I go pick us up some lunch, huh? I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

Bobby didn't look up, just kept his eyes glued on Jack. "Sounds good, Ma," he said, his voice flat.

"Alright... Well, I'll be back in half an hour." She grabbed her purse and headed towards the door. "And Bobby?" she added just as she was about to step out of the door. "I know it's hard, and I know how helpless you must feel, but right now all we can do is let Jack know we're all here, waiting for him. Like I said, we just have to give it time."

Bobby nodded, not really trusting himself to speak, and Evelyn quietly left the room. Now alone with Jack, he was grateful for the lack of company. He needed a moment to compose himself; he didn't like his mother seeing him upset. He needed to be strong for her, and she already had enough to worry about without him adding himself to the mix.

As he looked at Jack, Evelyn's words echoed in his head. _Let Jack know we're all here, waiting for him. _

Taking a deep breath, he started talking."Jack, I don't know if you can hear me, but you need to wake up." He paused for a moment, searching for words. He'd seen people do this in movies all the time; needless to say it was much harder that in looks.

"You gotta keep fighting, man. The house isn't the same without you, you know? Its way too quiet... no one there to laugh at my lame jokes... or make noise on that damn guitar I never should have bought you..." A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips as he continued talking about nothing in particular, just wanting to fill the silence that had fallen in the room. And maybe even Jack would hear him and finally open his eyes.

**&&& **

A funny thing was happening in Jack's head. He was only vaguely aware of what was going on around him, and everything about him just felt... _different_. He had no clue what was going on, or even where he was, and he could help but feel as if he was locked inside a dark room with no lights, and even though his eyes were wide open all he could see was an endless sea of black.

Fragmented thoughts and sentences ran through his mind faster than he could make them out, making his head feel like a jumbled, clouded mess. He centered all of his attention as best he could on making out the words that were floating to him through the pounding in his head, but it really was a hard task, and it scared him just how difficult it truly was.

Gaining his focus for a moment, he realized arms and legs felt like dead weights, making moving them out of the question, so he tried opening his eyes instead. He only succeeded in lifting them a crack, but what he saw was blurry and way too bright. He fought to keep them open, but quickly shut them again despite how much he wanted to get away from the dark; the overwhelming light made him nauseous.

**&&& **

Bobby had to do a double-take. He felt like his eyes had been playing tricks on him all day, and he didn't want to get his hopes up, but... he was pretty sure Jack had just opened his eyes, (either that or he was losing his mind).

Never-the-less, he was once again on his feet and standing beside Jack.

"Can you hear me, Jack?" Bobby said as he placed his hand in Jack's. "Squeeze my hand if you can,"

For a few agonizingly long seconds nothing happened, and Bobby thought he was _seriously_ going crazy, imaging things yet again. But then he felt Jack's fingers move slightly in his hand, and even if it wasn't exactly a squeeze, it was all the confirmation he needed.

He quickly rubbed his free hand over his face. "Hey Jackie," he said, unable to control the slight tremor in his voice or the broad smile stretched across his lips. 

He had been waiting for this moment for weeks, and it was finally here.

* * *

**A/N: Please leave a review and let me know what you think!**


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